Highlights
- Ariana Dumbledore's tragic and untimely death had a profound impact on both of her brothers, Albus and Aberforth, leading to guilt and strained relationships.
- Ariana's death was the result of a three-way duel between Albus, Aberforth, and Gellert Grindelwald, in which Ariana got caught in the crossfire due to her inability to control her magic.
- The circumstances surrounding Ariana's death remained ambiguous, causing Albus and Aberforth to be haunted by guilt and resentment, shaping their lives and motivations in the fight against Dark Magic.
Albus Dumbledore was undoubtedly one of the greatest wizards who ever lived in the world of Harry Potter. Throughout the series, he remained a mysterious figure, and many details about his life remained unknown until his death. One of these, to the surprise of many, was the fact that he had a sister, Ariana Dumbledore. Her existence was first revealed in The Deathly Hallows in Dumbledore’s obituary, written by his longtime friend Elphias Doge. It is mentioned that she had died shortly after Albus had finished school, but not much else is said about her. It is later revealed that she had a tragic life and died way too young, but her existence remains surrounded by mystery. What exactly happened to her? And why was her existence kept hidden for so long?
Ever since her introduction to the Harry Potter series, Ariana Dumbledore has earned a high spot in multiple lists about characters with tragic lives who encountered terrible fates. Although she is only mentioned a few times throughout the series, her death deeply impacted both of her brothers, Albus and Aberforth. Her story is one of magic and secrecy, and the tragic circumstances surrounding her passing gave place to many rumors and theories to be created, such as her being a Squib and that being the reason why her mother had kept her hidden. That, however, was not the case. While fans have witnessed the devastating consequences of Dark Magic, the young witch found herself a victim to Muggle attacks, and it remains one of the most evil events to happen in the wizarding world.
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Who Was Ariana Dumbledore?
Albus Dumbledore | Aberforth Dumbledore | Ariana Dumbledore | |
|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | Between August 16-31, 1991 | Between September 1, 1883 - August 31, 1884 | 1885 |
Date of death | June 30, 1997 (aged 115) | n/a | Summer 1899 (aged 14) |
Played by | Richard Harris (Philosopher's Stone - Chamber of Secrets), Michael Gambon (Prisoner of Azkaban - Deathly Hallows: Part 2), Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts series) | Ciarán Hinds (Order of the Phoenix - Deathly Hallows: Part 2), Richard Coyle (Fantastic Beasts series) | Hebe Beardsall |
First appearance (books) | Philosopher's Stone | Goblet of Fire (first mentioned), Order of the Phoenix (first appearance) | Deathly Hallows (first mentioned, appears in portraits) |
First appearance (movies) | Philosopher's Stone | Order of the Phoenix | Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (first mentioned, appears in portraits) |
Last appearance (books) | Half-Blood Prince (last appearance), Deathly Hallows (appears as a ghost/spirit) | Deathly Hallows | Deathly Hallows (mentioned, appears in portraits) |
Last appearance (movies) | Half-Blood Prince (last appearance), Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (appears as a ghost/spirit) | Deathly Hallows: Part 2 | Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (mentioned, appears in portraits) |
Ariana Dumbledore was a half-blood witch, the youngest daughter of Kendra and Percival Dumbledore, and sister of renowned wizards Albus and Aberforth. Described as a sweet and kind-hearted girl, her magical abilities manifested early. She lived a fairly regular and happy childhood until the age of six. In 1891, tragedy struck when a six-year-old Ariana was playing with her uncontrolled magic and was violently attacked by a group of Muggle boys who saw her. This traumatic event left Ariana unable to control her magical powers, and develop an obscurus, which led to uncontrollable outbursts that caused fear in those around her. In response to the incident, her father attacked the boys as revenge, and was sentenced to Azkaban because of this. Her mother, in order to keep her daughter and family safe, relocated to Godric’s Hollow and Ariana was kept hidden from the outside world. Her untamed magic became a burden for both her and her family. Many people weren’t even aware that Albus and Aberforth had a sister.
When Ariana was fourteen years old, she accidentally caused an explosion when her magic went out of control, resulting in her mother’s death. Albus, the oldest of the brothers, who had just finished his studies at Hogwarts, became Ariana’s caretaker. Aberforth wanted to be the one to take care of her, since he had a deep bond with their sister, but Albus insisted that he finished his studies first. Gellert Grindelwald moved to Godric’s Hollow after being kicked out of Durmstrang, and he and Albus quickly bonded and became great friends, since they were both gifted and ambitious wizards, despite Grindelwald’s history of violence and interest in the Dark Arts. After Aberforth confronted Grindelwald for a plan to take over the wizarding world that he and Albus had developed, a three-way duel broke out between them. Ariana tried to stop it and got in the way, but due to her inability to control her magic, she was killed by one of their spells. It was never known who was directly responsible for casting the attack that killed her.
I resented it, Harry. I was gifted, I was brilliant. I wanted to escape. I wanted to shine. I wanted glory. Do not misunderstand me. I loved them... but I was selfish... So that, when my mother died, and I was left the responsibility of a damaged sister and a wayward brother, I returned to my village in anger and bitterness. Trapped and wasted, I thought! And then of course, he came...
How Did Ariana’s Death Affect Albus and Aberforth Dumbledore?
After the duel, Grindelwald ran away, which ended his friendship with Albus, although they both still felt some affection towards each other. Ariana’s tragic death changed the trajectory of both of her brothers’ lives. Since the circumstances of her passing remain somewhat ambiguous, Albus and Aberforth were haunted by guilt throughout their lives. In Albus’ case, this guilt caused him to leave, and it fueled his dedication to preventing the rise of Dark Magic, which ultimately made him play an essential role in the fight against Voldemort years later. For Aberforth, who blamed Albus over Ariana’s death, the pain of losing his sister was more immediate and visceral. His resentment towards Albus for leaving their family, along with his regret over these traumatic events, strained their relationship. Aberforth never forgave Albus for what happened, and Albus was unable to forgive himself either.
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Although in The Philosopher’s Stone Albus claimed that he saw himself holding a nice pair of socks in the Mirror of Erised, in reality he saw his family together and Ariana alive and able to perform magic. The burden of feeling responsible for his sister’s death forever haunted him. When he put on the cursed ring that contained the resurrection stone, he did so out of shame and guilt for what had happened to his family.
I put it on, and for a second I imagined that I was about to see Ariana, and my mother, and my father, and to tell them how very, very sorry I was…
Ariana Dumbledore’s life remains one of the most tragic in the Harry Potter series, and it left a big impact on the wizarding world. While she appears only as a memory, her story serves as a way to understand the complex dynamics of the Dumbledore family, and it helps fans understand some of the motivations, emotions, and actions of both Albus and Aberforth. It also serves as a reminder of the powerful consequences of grief, loss, and that magic alone isn’t the only way to cause destruction and tragedy in the wizarding world.
Harry Potter
When Harry Potter learns that he is a wizard, he enters a world beyond belief. Aside from continuing his studies at Hogwarts with best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry must also face Voldemort and his dark wizarding forces. The Harry Potter franchise is a worldwide phenomenon, spanning seven books, eight movies, three spinoff movies, a stage play, and numerous video games.
- Created by
- J.K. Rowling
- Where to watch
- HBO Max
